Archive
Wireless Power Management as Used by Jay Z & Rihanna During London 2012
At Shure, we are proud to have been part of a remarkable year for British Sport at the London 2012 games. During the opening and closing ceremonies, Britain put on a show to the world, which included an array of headline stars. With such a high profile event, the technology behind it had to be reliable, and for this reason Shure’s Axient Wireless technology was selected as the wireless microphone system of choice by production company Norwest.
As well as delivering a reliable RF performance when it counts, Axient is also environmentally friendly – an important factor, when you consider that London 2012 was billed as the sustainable games.
Re-chargeable Technology Developed Alongside Axient
In the following video, Shure UK’s Tuomo Tolonen uses actual wireless equipment from the Olympics, including handsets used by Jay Z & Rihanna to demonstrate how Advanced Power Management helped save 26,000 AA batteries from the landfill, and ensure reliable power for the duration of London 2012.
For more information on the worlds most advanced wireless technology: visit axient.net
Shure Mics & IEM Systems Provide Uncompromising Audio for Skunk Anansie’s European Tour
Audio with impact has always been key to British rock band Skunk Anansie’s success, and for their recent European tour – Shure have played an important role in delivering audio without compromise.
A large number of Shure microphones were chosen with long term FOH engineer Paul Ramsey – who was already a fan of Shure mics. Ramsay selected models based on his experience and taste, which included a Shure beta 58 UHF-R radio mic for lead singer Skin (Deborah Dyer). Ramsay also made use of some recently purchased beta98 and beta91 microphones, which were used in conjunction with a ribbon mic on guitars.
Soul II Soul turn to Shure PSM900 In Ear Monitoring for ‘best on stage sound ever!’…
Soul II Soul have used Shure UHF-R wireless systems with both KSM9 and SM58 heads for some time. As with many bands (including The Who), it was not until recently that they thought about trying in ear monitoring for the first time. Before embarking on their forthcoming tour, we decided to loan Soul II Soul a few Shure PSM900 IEM systems to see how they got on…
Here are their words, from both the FOH Engineer and the Monitor Engineer:
Paul Crognale and Tuomo from Shure stepped in to help us in our quest to try IEM’S, lending us 4 of Shures new PSM900 IEM systems to try in rehearsal. By the end of that first rehearsal, the entire band wanted to be on IEMs meaning that we are now using 9 channels of PSM900 and 16 beltpacks.
Simon Ryder, Soul II Soul’s monitor engineer says ” I am very impressed by the new PSM900 system. The sound quality is superb, the whole package is very well built. The thing that really sets it apart from everything else on the market though is the new ‘CUEMODE’ system on it. Using a beltpack in ‘CUE’ mode I can dial in to any performers monitor mix and listen to exactly what they are hearing. If I stand next to them I can even experience the same RF patterns as they are. It is a real game changer. After that first gig with them, the band came off stage with multiple members stating it was the best on stage sound they have ever had. I am completely sold, they are on our rider from this point on!”
Brandon Knights, Soul II Soul’s FOH engineer, said “The on stage sound had cleared up so much by going to IEMs that I was able to ‘finesse’ my mix in a way that I have never been able to before. It was almost like mixing them in the studio.” A big thanks to Shure from all of us at Soul II Soul for all the back up and support they have given us.
Davids Lyre Drops into Shure UK
Paul aka Davids Lyre popped into the Shure UK office today for a Demo of the PSM900 with one of our ‘in house’ Techy guys Tom.
This talented 21 year old, (singer, musician and producer) originates from London, writes and co-produces his own music.
Davids Lyre has developed a unique sound, Paul explained his music is inspired by a collection of genres but most heavily Indie with Hip Hop. Davids Lyre has a big following particularly for the club remixes, the most popular being ‘In arms’ Bombay bicycle club remix.
Davids Lyre is currently on a UK tour. Tom was more than happy to demonstrate how to use the PSM900 and the benefits of a Shure In -Ear Monitoring system, as its impossible to sound your best if you can’t hear what is going on around you in the highest quality.
” The sound quality is great, I’ve never used in-ears before, this is my first experience – thumbs up!! ” Davids Lyre
Davids Lyres EP titled ‘In arms’ is out next month and his album is due for release August 2011.
Find out more about Davids Lyre:
Davids Lyre’s Myspace Follow on Twitter @davids_lyre
The Who use Shure on Charity Gig
Some big names in rock music came together last week with a charity gig in aid of KILLING Cancer. Bryan Adams, Richard Ashcroft, Jeff Beck, Debbie Harry & headliners The Who joined forces at Hammmersmith Apollo to raise awareness for this Charity.
KILLING Cancer supports Photodynamic Therapy, a treatment which could potentially treat many of the most devastating cancers and medical conditions.
Lots of Shure gear was used in the show including UHF-R wireless, PSM900 and the trusted SM58. Richard Ashcroft even used the 520DX ‘Green Bullet’ microphone during his performance.
Pictures of the gig are available, and judging by them, it seemed that a good time was had by all.
Further information on KILLING Cancer is available on their website.
Shure Gear Proves Its Mettle on Stage with SLASH
The 2010 touring season has been a busy one for rock icon Slash, who hit the road for tours of Europe, Asia, and the U.S. in support of his eponymous solo album, which was released this past spring. Slash, which has reached #3 on the Billboard 200 and #1 on its Rock, Hard Rock, and Independent album charts, features a variety of guest vocalists. After a successful world tour through Asia and Europe in support of the album, Slash began his highly anticipated U.S. dates in August.
Slash at Riviera Theater on September 8, 2010 in Chicago, Illinois.
Monitor mixing for the tour’s U.S. leg was handled by veteran independent engineer Monty Carlo for sound company Audio Analysts. Carlo, who is also president/founder of Book of Lies, a tour itinerary provider, remarks, “It’s basically an all-Shure stage, because Slash is a Shure endorser,” he notes, “and frankly, that makes my job a lot easier.”
Of course, Slash is best known for his distinctive guitar tone. Like many guitarists, Slash sticks with the tools that helped him make his name, maintaining a hardwired connection to his custom Marshall rig, which is miked with a pair of Shure ribbon microphones. “The KSM313 is very sonically neutral,” says Carlo. “What I like about these mics is that they sound like the guitar. It allows me to replicate the tone of Slash’s cabinets with virtually no EQ, typically just hi- and lo-pass filters. We’re using the front side of the 313 for the fuller, warmer sound.” The band’s other two guitars are miked with Shure’s SM27 condenser mics on the cabinets. In the final mix, all guitar mics are combined with a Palmer PDI-09 direct box.
Lead vocals for Slash’s touring band are handled by Myles Kennedy, who uses a Shure UHF-R® wireless system with Beta 58A® capsule. Backing vocals are hardwired SM58®s. The only other wireless systems in use on stage are a pair of PSM® 900 personal monitors, used by Kennedy and bassist Todd Kerns. Monitor mixer Monty Carlo and guitar tech Chet Huan wear them as well.
“Shure has a fantastic handle on RF these days. I’ve been a big fan of the UHF-R system ever since it came out, and now the PSM 900 has really taken in-ears to the next level,” says Monty. “It sounds fantastic, and it’s clearly been designed to make life easy for monitor engineers.” He calls out the ability to program all transmitters with a single bodypack as a great time-saver, and finds the menu layout very intuitive. He characterizes Shure’s new patent-pending CueMode feature as “a lifesaver. Being able to listen to all my frequencies and mixes on a single bodypack is a great tool. And checking all my frequencies right before the band hits the stage is a nice change from having to carry a handful of packs around.”
The drum miking is Shure from top to bottom. Brent Fitz’s kick drum is captured by a Beta 91A boundary mic, mounted on a soft pillow inside the drum for stable, repeatable positioning. The three toms are miked by the Beta 56®A, attached directly to each drum with Shure’s unique A56D drum mount. “Those mics are great on the kit,” says Monty Carlo. “Between the articulating capsule and the drum mounts, we get the mics in exactly the same position every show, and the Beta 56 can take an erratic stick hit better than a smaller capsule might.”
Of course, no drum kit is complete without the venerable SM57, and Monty Carlo uses three of them, for snare top, snare bottom, and cowbell. “Using two mics allows me to give each musician a little more choice in their snare sound without having to over-EQ a single 57 on top. So if someone wants a little more ‘crack’ in their monitor mix, I can simply bring up the bottom mic as needed.”
Cymbals are all handled by Shure studio condensers, with a pair of KSM32s overhead, mounted 8-10 inches above the highest cymbal. For the hi-hat and the ride cymbals, Carlo uses the KSM141. “Brent Fitz likes a fair amount cymbal in his ear mix, and he’s really happy with the combination of mics we’re using,” he reports. “They all have a clean, smooth sound, and the compact size of the KSM141 makes them perfect to squeeze into tight spots on the drum kit.”
With Slash being a Shure endorsing artist, Monty Carlo notes that the input list “reads a bit like a Shure brochure, but I wouldn’t change a thing. Being a monitor engineer is all about giving the artists exactly what they want to hear, and having an all-Shure stage makes that a breeze.” After an end-of-year break, Slash will hit the road again in 2011, starting with U.S. dates in January and February.
On Tour with Passion Pit
Passion Pit (Image by Justin Borucki)
Andrew Dobbins, Tour Manager and Francois Pare, Monitor Engineer for the latest Passion Pit tour were blown away with the Shure PSM900 in-ear monitors.
“With PSM900 I genuinely think Shure has built a fantastic product. And compared to the competition, well… it’s just a vastly superior system. We’re completely over the moon with them. We love them!”
Read the full story on www.shure.co.uk!
